Bribery and corruption

Azerbaijan should take strong and comprehensive measures to fight entrenched corruption

13/10/2016 - Azerbaijan has made progress in preventing corruption in several sectors, such as public services delivery, traffic police and public education, and reforms have started in customs and business licencing. However, serious and complex corruption challenges have yet to be tackled, says a new OECD report.

The report praises Azerbaijan for advancing the Azerbaijani Service and Assessment Network (ASAN) centres, which has contributed to eliminating the conditions that are conducive to corruption when delivering various administrative services to the public. It also welcomes the improved performance of the Anti-Corruption Directorate. However, it urges Azerbaijan to strengthen its central body for prevention of corruption, the Commission on Combating on Corruption, and implement comprehensive, evidence-based anti-corruption policy, addressing sectors prone to high corruption risks.

The report further recommends that Azerbaijan should:

Ensure the open participation of civil society in anti-corruption reforms and create an enabling environment for investigative journalism and media reporting on corruption;

Pursue civil service reform, adopt conflict of interest legislation and ensure effective coordination and implementation of the reforms;

Take effective measures to ensure transparency and integrity in public procurement;

The report is published under the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan, initiative launched in 2003 under the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN), which is a part of the OECD Working Group on Bribery outreach work. More information is at www.oecd.org/corruption/acn/.